Tag Archives: vegetarian menus

Gentle Readers, never has a holiday been more confusingly named or welcomed with more open arms. Hello, Labor Day, we need you. A bit of a break after the bustle of school starting, recovery from travel season for me, it’s time to roll up sleeves and cook again. How to do so without too much labor? Invite yourself to someone else’s cookout.

Tea wth the Ladies Who Lunch: China Edition

I’m bringing a dessert, or a salad, or both. But I digress. The weather is getting cooler, and more cooking ahead is possible. Seize the day, or at least the weekend, between naps.

Turmeric Tea from Samovar: Gold, Spicy, Amazing

For this week, the weekly menus are:

Weekly Menus: 9/1/2013

And the Four-Square Grocery List is:

The Four-Square Grocery List: 9/1/2013

Which all means:

Sunday: Rotisserie Chicken
It’s been too long. Great for eating and reusing in salads, plus stock from the bones. Will serve with Brussels sprouts and glazed carrots, or mac-n-cheese if I run low on time.

Monday: Not Dogs?
Since we’re heading to a cookout, we may do one lighter meal on this Labor Day. There are great options for vegetarians and for anyone looking to balance their caloric consumption.

Hot Dog from The Pig with Ketchup, Mustard, and Relish

Tuesday: Veggie Chili
Breaking out the Red, Gold, and Green Veggie Chili here, in honor of the fall that finally feels like it’s on the way. Perfect to make ahead and eat for a while in different forms.

Veggie Chili Simmering

Wednesday: Salmon and Couscous
Light and simple, I think I’ll pan-roast this and serve with confetti veggie couscous (aka, use the last bits of diced veggie up from previous meals, shhh, don’t tell).

Orange Salmon, Broiled Asparagus, Accidental Butternut Bulgar

Thursday: Egg Sammies
If we’re short on time, the eggs will be scrambled or fried. More time = egg salad sammies. This was a favorite summer meal in my youth, and it’s fun to recapture a little of that feeling as we start the school year.

Eggs on their way to becoming egg salad.

Friday: Leftover DelightThe Eldest asked what this was, and I told her it was marketing. She got that. Friday is a clean-up hitter today. Prep for Saturday practice, recover from a week of early rising, gather around the table and enjoy.

Saturday: Dine Out!
We’re on the hunt for a new country to visit. All suggestions welcome!

What’s on your grill this season? Send ideas this way, post a comment or send a Tweet!

Gentle Readers, never has it been more challenging to sit down and write with an upbeat message. It is difficult not to focus on the tragic occurrence in Connecticut. I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of community and connection as means of healing.

TPCs Junior learn how to light the candles.

This past week, Team Practical Cook was fortunate to be invited to a Chanukah meal, a first for us. It was a great experience, full of tradition and modified for the vegetarian TPCs Junior. Everyone had a role to play, from lighting the candles to blessing the bread and wine.

Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup in progress.

These small moments are the ones I’m reflecting on as I prepare for the upcoming weeks. We are attending a Moravian “Love Feast,” which features coffee and sweet rolls. We’re celebrating friends and family with a number of holiday meals and open houses. Truly a time to count one’s blessings and remember those who are in need.

Small hands reaching for the Challah.

With that in my mind, this week’s menus are:

Weekly Menus: 12/16/2012

The Four-Square Grocery List:

The Four-Square Grocery Shopping List: 12/16/2012

Which all means:

Sunday: Sammies
Simple and delicious, we’ll be downing a few before our social event begins.

Monday: Veggie Chili
Great hearty warmth to fight the chill. I may try my hand at a garlicky white version of this, with kale or spinach.

Wednesday:Christmas Tapas!
We’re reciprocating from our Chanukah invite. Our house rule is everyone gets to eat their favorite stuff in small bite-sized form. It’s the easiest and best way to do a relaxed holiday meal ever.

Thursday: Pirogies and Borscht
Craving both, and planning to source homemade pirogies and make the borscht.

Latkes frying in the pan.

Friday: Arepas and Crepes (or Dine Out!)
Again, craving plus reminded of a new place in town I need to research. We’ll see what energy levels determine.

Saturday: Pasta and Salad
I have some pumpkin pasta I’m ready to try, and looking to wrap the week up simply in preparation for a LOT of cookie consumption/production.

Peace.

What’s on your cookie list this year? Wednesday’s blog is about the cookie jar, and I’d love to include some new inspiration! Post your favorites in the comments area below! Or drop me a line or a Tweet.

Gentle Readers, if someone find November, please return it promptly. Really? I was last-minute for Thanksgiving, and now I’m behind for Christmas–not cool. But I digress. This next week is a travel week, which means lots of forward planning. Today I’ve accomplished more than one typically does in a week. Now I just need to pack for said travel week. Details. I’ll be the one in the mismatched shoes.

Okay, maybe not mismatched shoes.

For food this week, the weekly menus are:

Weekly Menus: 12/2/2012

The Four-Square Grocery List (in advance!):

The Four-Square Grocery Shopping List: 12/2/2012

Which all means:

Sunday: Leftovers, surprise
It’s hard to get rid of everything before a trip. I’ve eaten all I can, have at it.

Monday: Soup and Sammie
We’re in the process of testing a number of boxed soups. This test continues, with some favorites being nominated for a second round. The roasted red pepper and tomato soup is a Trader Joe’s staff favorite for a reason.

Tuesday: Mexican!
This could be beans and rice, it could be tacos, who knows.

Wednesday: Pasta with Green Peas
Again, a suggestion. I’ve got a lot of pasta on hand, but TPC’s Mom has the helm. I look forward to finding out what happens.

Thursday: Pizza and Green Veg
This could be frozen pizza (3 out of 3 members of Team Practical Cook like the roasted veggie pizza from Trader Joe’s: cheeseless even), or it could be TPC’s Mom’s Tomato Pie, which is a similar idea in pie form.

Friday: Vegetable Tart and Salad
I’ll be back, and it will be time to tartify anything that’s leftover and eat a salad for the first time in a week.

Saturday: Dine Out!
We’re on a roll for trying new places. We’ve had Cuban and Singaporean in the last couple of weeks. What will be next?

Gentle Readers, apologies for the delayed post today, there are a couple of good reasons. First, it’s fall, and time for school germs to be passed as freely as cat pictures on the internet. We are not immune here at TPC. Second, Sunday morning is pancake time, and the highly experimental nature of our work takes time.

Fall Harvest Pancakes: Pumpkin Pancakes with Apples and Pecans

From a blissful autumnal carb high, please find the weekly menus for the week:

Monday: Pasta?
Depending on the health and contagion, we have invited ourselves to dinner with a friend. Yes, Team Practical Cook is dedicated to field research, including your house. En garde.

Tuesday: Salad Bar
My unending effort to use up bits and pieces of what’s in the house. Serve it with a side of cheese toast and call it a meal.

Wednesday: Baked Potato Bar
Here’s one I haven’t done lately. Curious to see how the Juniors respond. It’s a great way to use up a little bit of chili or a lot of bacon. Oh wait, that’s just me.

Thankful for Twice-Baked Potatoes

Thursday: Polenta
Back by popular demand, this will either be with mushrooms, spinach, and egg, or perhaps kale, avocado, egg, and black beans. To be determined.

Friday: Legs
I’m tempted to simply not explain this one. However, I will tell you I have travel plans. Plans to eat for 3 days straight in an undisclosed location, curated by someone whose ability to eat multiple dinners rivals my own.